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负 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
负fùto bearHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 贝, rank #2816, Hard
负fùto carry (on one's back)HSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 贝, rank #2816, Hard
负fùto turn one's back onHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 贝, rank #2816, Hard
负fùto be defeatedHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 贝, rank #2816, Hard
负fùnegative (math. etc)HSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 贝, rank #2816, Hard
负fùload, burden; to carry, to bearHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 贝, rank #2816, Hard
fù(fu4) T4
  1. 1to bear
  2. 2to carry (on one's back)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
负(負)fù(fu4)

The character 负 (fù) primarily means 'to bear' or 'to carry,' often used in contexts involving burdens or responsibilities. It can also denote a negative value in mathematics or imply defeat in a competitive context. The nuance of the character encompasses both physical and metaphorical meanings, such as carrying a load or bearing the consequences of one's actions.

Strokes6Radical贝Frequency#2816DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of bearing burdens is significant, often reflecting traditional values of responsibility and family duty. The phrase '负责任' (fù zérèn) means to take responsibility, which is highly valued in personal and professional relationships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a heavy load on your back, signifying the effort to 'bear' it. The character 负 resembles a person leaning forward, struggling under the weight, which helps you remember that it means to carry or bear a burden. The pronunciation 'fù' can be associated with 'foot'—think of using your feet to carry a heavy load.

Meanings of 负

fù(fu4)
1to bear
2to carry (on one's back)
Exercise 1 of 3

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 负

负Simplified
負Traditional
6Strokes
贝Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#2816Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 负

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Podcast: 负

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AI Study Notes for 负

Quick Contrast

负 (fù) vs 担 (dān) — use 负 when referring to responsibilities or burdens in a broader sense, while 担 specifically emphasizes the act of carrying or shouldering a load physically.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a heavy load on your back, signifying the effort to 'bear' it. The character 负 resembles a person leaning forward, struggling under the weight, which helps you remember that it means to carry or bear a burden. The pronunciation 'fù' can be associated with 'foot'—think of using your feet to carry a heavy load.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 负 (fù) with 类似的 characters like 付 (fù), which means 'to pay.' This character is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but be mindful of its mathematical usage which requires the correct tone. Collocations include 负担 (fùdān - burden) and 负面 (fùmiàn - negative aspect).

HSK Study Tips

While 负 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it connects well with other verbs related to carrying or responsibility, such as 拿 (ná - to take) and 带 (dài - to bring). Focus on the contexts where 负 is used to describe responsibility or mathematical terms to solidify understanding.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of bearing burdens is significant, often reflecting traditional values of responsibility and family duty. The phrase '负责任' (fù zérèn) means to take responsibility, which is highly valued in personal and professional relationships.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 负 with 负担 (fùdān - burden) by omitting the second character and incorrectly using just 负 to mean burden. Always use the full term to convey the intended meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 负

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Etymology of 负

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 負. Depicts a person (人) carrying money (貝) on his back.

Memory Hint

A person 人 carrying a lot of money 贝

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 负?

Decomposition of 负

IDS Structure⿱⺈贝
负Full Character
=
⺈Dao1
top
贝Bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 负?

Write 负

负

Practice writing 负 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 负

负 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

你说得对，这位经理是很____责。

You're right, this manager is indeed very responsible.

Common Confusions with 负

负vs付
fù

Both characters are pronounced the same but have different meanings.

负vs扶
fú

Similar pronunciation, but different meanings and usages.

负担 means burden, while 负 alone means to bear or carry.

1

他背负了沉重的负担。

负担 means burden, while 负 alone means to bear or carry.

💡负 means to bear; 负担 is what you bear.
Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to bear"?

or

Usage Notes for 负

Confusion with '负面'Common Error

'负' can refer to negative aspects, but learners often confuse it with '负面' which specifically means negative side.

1

他的观点有负面影响。

His viewpoint has negative effects.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

他的观点有____面影响。

His viewpoint has negative effects.

Example Sentences for 负 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
如果我对此不做点儿什么，就是不负责任。

rú guǒ wǒ duì cǐ bù zuò diǎn ér shí mó， ， jiù shì bù fù zé。

I would be remiss if I did not do some-thing about it.
2
我告诉他，如果他退出，责任自负。

wǒ gào sù tā， ， rú guǒ tā tuì， chū ， zé rèn。

I told him if he withdrew it was on his own account.
3
定期航班的数量正让空中交通指挥系统不堪重负。

dìng qī háng bān de shù liáng zhèng ràng kōng zhōng jiāo tōng zhǐ huī xì tǒng bù kān zhòng fù。

The volume of scheduled flights is straining the air traffic control system.
4
我觉得应为我们遭遇的问题负部分责任。

wǒ jué dé yīng wéi wǒ mén zāo yù de wèn tí fù bù fēn zé rèn。

I feel partly responsible for the problems we're in.
5
学校对你的孩子负有法律上的安全责任。

xué xiào duì nǐ de hái zǐ fù yǒu fǎ lǜ shàng de ān quán zé rèn。

The school is legally responsible for your child's safety.
6
不要让工作中的一点烦心事打击了你的雄心抱负。

bù yào ràng gōng zuò zhōng de yī diǎn fán xīn shì dǎ jī le nǐ de xióng xīn bào fù。

Don't allow a minor irritation in the workplace to mar your ambitions.
7
你以为你可以欺负我吗？你不能，永远不能！

nǐ yǐ wéi nǐ kě yǐ qī fù wǒ ma？ ？ nǐ bù， néng ， yǒng yuǎn！

Do you think you can walk over me? Well, you won't, ever!
8
你背负了拿到高分的巨大压力。

nǐ bèi fù le ná dào gāo fēn de jù dà yā lì。

There was a lot of pressure on you to obtain good grades.
9
贸易赤字是经济快速发展带来的负面产物。

mào yì chì zì shì jīng jì kuài sù fā zhǎn dài lái de fù miàn chǎn wù。

The trade deficit is the flip side of a rapidly expanding economy.
10
我肩负特殊责任，必须确保自己作出的决定是正确的。

wǒ jiān fù tè shū zé rèn， ， bì xū què bǎo zì jǐ zuò chū de jué dìng shì zhèng què。

I have a particular responsibility to ensure I make the right decision.

Cultural Notes for 负

💡Did you know?

'负' is often used in mathematical contexts to denote negative numbers, showing the character's versatility in both everyday language and academic discussions.

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of bearing burdens is significant, often reflecting traditional values of responsibility and family duty. The phrase '负责任' (fù zérèn) means to take responsibility, which is highly valued in personal and professional relationships.

Word Family of 负

Compounds2
烉
奐huan4numerous; brilliant
Words Containing This Character20
负责fùzéto be in charge of負責
负责人fùzérénperson in charge負責人
负fùto bear負
负担fùdānburden負擔
欺负qīfuto bully欺負
负面fùmiànnegative負面
胜负shèngfùvictory or defeat勝負
自负zìfùconceited自負
辜负gūfùto let down辜負
负债to be in debt負債
负荷load負荷
背负to bear背負
负责任to take responsibility負責任
担负dānfùto shoulder擔負
肩负jiānfùto bear肩負
抱负bàofùaspiration抱負
忘恩负义to kick a benefactor in the teeth忘恩負義
负伤to be wounded負傷
负有fùyǒuto be responsible for負有
超负荷excess load超負荷
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 奐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 负

The opposite of 负 (fù) is 正 (zhèng), which means 'positive.' In many contexts, such as mathematics or personality traits, these terms are used to distinguish between negative and positive aspects.